When such angular contact anti-friction bearings are manufactured, it is often necessary, after the individual components have been assembled, to connect the separate outer bearing rings to one another, or at least to secure them, in order to prevent the bearing from falling apart during the transportation, handling and mounting of the angular contact anti-friction bearings. Otherwise this could result in faults in the mounting, in particular the soiling of bearing components which have dropped out and damage to the bearing seals.
In angular contact anti-friction bearings with a one-piece outer bearing ring and split inner bearing ring it is already known to use special clamp rings to secure the inner bearing rings, which clamp rings are provided, for example, with resiliently flexible projections radially on the outside, which projections can be latched into cutouts or undercuts which are arranged radially on the inside of the two inner bearing rings and have a corresponding shape. In this way, the two inner bearing rings are secured and prestressed with respect to one another in the axial direction.
However, such clamp rings still present problems in practical use and also require special cutouts or undercuts on the insides of the inner bearing rings in order to be able to come to bear there with a form fit by engaging their radial projections. When such clamp rings are used there is also always the risk that the rings will be damaged, bent or even forced out of their anchoring in the undercuts of the inner bearing rings when the angular contact anti-friction bearings are installed or transported, which can occur through just slight initial tilting of the angular contact anti-friction bearings with respect to location of installation. There is therefore the risk that the securing effect of such spring rings or clamp rings can be lost, which leads to damage to the angular contact anti-friction bearings.
DE 592 247 C discloses a double-row angular contact anti-friction bearing comprising a split outer bearing ring and a one-piece inner bearing ring, the outer bearing ring of which is composed of two individual rings between which a spacer ring which is composed of two half ring elements is arranged. Half ring elements are connected to the outer rings by means of an annular flange, wherein the annular flange engages in a corresponding recess in an inner edge of just one outer ring, which is intended to prevent radial movements of the spacer ring. DE 592 247 C does not describe connecting the individual rings by means of the spacer ring.
DE 36 21 381 A1 discloses a double-row angular contact anti-friction bearing in which both the outer rings and the inner rings are split and are each composed of individual rings. In an embodiment according to FIG. 2 in said document, the two individual rings of the outer ring are connected to one another with a force fit by means of a clamp, while a spacer ring is arranged between the individual rings of the inner ring.
DE 10 2004 018 188 A1 describes a double-row angular contact anti-friction bearing in an X or O arrangement with a split inner bearing ring and a one-piece outer bearing ring, wherein the inner bearing ring is of axially split design and is composed of two individual rings which are connected to one another with a positive fit by means of a connecting element. This connecting element which serves at the same time as a spacer ring is used to produce permanent axial prestress and is connected in a non-detachable fashion to the inner bearing rings using, for example, a bonded connection.
DE 202 00 240 U1 also discloses a double-row angular contact anti-friction bearing comprising a split inner bearing ring and a one-piece outer bearing ring, whose two individual rings of the inner bearing ring are connected to one another by means of a connecting element in such a way that the connecting element is connected to one individual ring with an interference fit and to the other individual ring with a clearance fit.
While the connection of split inner bearing rings is relatively unproblematic, the connection of outer bearing rings has hitherto presented problems. This is due, inter alia, to the fact that a person skilled in the art has preferred solutions for the connection of split outer bearing rings, which solutions are aimed at achieving the tightest possible frictionally locking connection since this permits simultaneous prestressing of the angular contact anti-friction bearing, with the result that the angular contact anti-friction bearing can be mounted with the prestress already preset.